First grade rainbow fish illustrators

1st grade artists are learning about the differences between illustrators and authors, specifically in the "Rainbow Fish" series. We zoomed up on our fish so much that we don't even see the entire fish! We also talked about space and overlapping so that some weeds, sand and bubbles are in front or behind each other. We used pattern in our rainbow scales!

Learning Goals:

I can describe the difference between an illustrator and author.

I can create pattern with fish scales

I can show space using overlapping

1st Grade James Rizzi Fun Architecture

1st grade artists are studying the fun art of James Rizzi!

Click HERE to see our James Rizzi Architecture Slide Show!

We created our own playful fantasy architecture and practiced rainbow order in our crayon resist.

First grade pattern land figure drawing

First Grade artists are enjoying the poem about Sadie and Dan from Patternland. We took an imaginary field trip to patternland and drew self-portraits! We learned about figure drawing and getting the right proportions!

Poems:

Sadie-Sadie the pattern lady is the prettiest lady in town. She ties ribbons fair in her patterned hair and has flowers all over her gown. She take her socks from a polka-dot box , she puts them on pretty plaid feet. Her beautiful shoes are a number of hues that flash as she walks down the street. Her favorite bonnet has feathers upon it, and sashes that tie 'neath her chin. Her apron is darted and multiple hearted; It fastens in back with a pin. And when people meet her they happily greet her, she glows from her head to her crown. Yes, Sadie-Sadie the pattern lady is the prettiest lady in town.

Dashing Dan is a pattern man. He comes from a place called Patternland. He wears a checked coat and a tall striped hat. When he goes for a stroll with his calico cat. His pants, a spectacular sight to behold, are covered with patterns, tres-gai and quite bold. A bright shiny buckle on each shiny boot reflect the designs of his big bumbershoot. His favorite tie was a gift from his mother. It's dotted and spotted unlike any other. And the beautiful garment that covers his chest is a beautiful, sparkling polka-dot vest. So if you fancy colors of pinks, green and blue, I'll tell you a secret between me & you. That Dashing Dan is the handsomest man who lives in the village of Patternland

*This project is adapted from one found online a long time ago. Not sure where it originated. :)

First grade Printmaking Architecture

First grade artists compared and contrasted many different types of architecture. We then created our own paper house collages. 

On Day 2 of the project, we looked at how many artists have utilized prints in their art! We used stations and had students paint a piece of bubble wrap with white tempera paint. The bubble wrap was taped to a large table so that when students set their artworks on the paint, it printed a fun snow print blizzard onto our homes! 

*This project inspired by one found on Pinterest

Learning Goals:

I can identify the art genre of artchitecture.

I can create a print.

I can identify the art technique of printmaking.

I can create an architecture collage.

First grade texture monsters

First graders are learning about how artists use texture. Some artists use "implied texture" by making something look like it has texture.  Some artists use "actual texture" by adding items with texture to their art. We used both in our fun monster drawings!

Learning Goals:

I can create a fun monster using lines and shapes.

I can describe the differences between implied and actual texture.

I can create implied and actual texture in my monster. 

First grade Claude Monet lily pads with frogs

First grade artists have been studying the art and life of Claude Monet! They learned about how he was an impressionist and so his artwork was not clear like a photograph but instead is full of blobs, smears and brushstrokes! We learned about how much Monet loved to paint outside, especially in his garden. 

We read a book about a frog named Phillipe who found safety in Monet's garden and really enjoyed the beauty there.

We painted with blurry blobs like Monet when we painted water on these cardboard pizza rounds!

We learned more about Monet's work by watching the Getting to Know the World's Famous artist video while we worked!

We then used different values of green construction paper to create the lily pads and tissue paper to create the 3D flowers! 

After this was complete, we compared and contrasted two of our art elements: shapes and forms. We enjoyed creating Phillipe the frog out of Model Magic clay!

On the final day of this project, after students finished, they created a birthday or valentines card for clot know me. I thought about what types of subjects he would love to see in his card.

The final product is being proudly displayed in our library!

Learning Goals:

I can identify the art of Claude Monet and the Impressionists

I can describe the differences between form and shape

I can manipulate clay and create a frog

I can demonstrate a variety of values in my paint and in my lily pads. 

First Grade Whoville Architecture

First graders are studying architecture. We looked at many types of architecture and compared and contrasted them with a friend. We looked architecture that is old & new, fancy and basic, homes and castles, bridges and sculptures, famous and everyday. Students each received an image of one of these constructions and after discussing with a friend the similarities and differences, we chose to put them in one of four areas on the board: 

1. I would love to LIVE here. 

2. This is the most FUN place! 

3. I would NEVER want to visit here. 

4. This is the most strange and UNIQUE place. 

Then we discussed the reasons why students chose what they did! It was so fun to hear their answers!

We expanded our thinking with this worksheet for the backs of our artworks.

We read "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" and looked at the architecture of the cities. We next designed our own Who Architecture and even added a Grinch peeking in on the town! Thank you to elementaryartroom@blogspot.com where you can find the creator of this cute lesson!

Learning Goals:
*I can describe what an architect does
* I can compare and contrast different types of architecture
* I can talk about why people would want various types of architecture
* I can describe what an illustrator does (like in the book "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" and design Whoville architecture.

Free art day!!

Our students look so forward to our Free Art Days! Once their class moves all the way to the end of our the Free Art Day Game board (by earning spaces for respecting themselves, each other and their school, for being good listeners, and for working quietly) they get a day to create and play in art! Here's a snippet of some of the fun we have!

First grade self portraits

First grade artists looked at quite a variety of portraits and noticed the differences between portraits and self-portraits. We compared and contrasted the creative differences between them. We practiced drawing portraits from the back (on the backs of our papers) and chose many models in our classroom to pose for us! We used M.C. Escher and Norman Rockwell's artworks for inspiration and looked into our own photo reflections for our self-portraits. 

Learning Goals:

* I can describe the difference between a portrait and a self-portrait

* I can draw myself from a different angle - the back!
* I can talk about why artists choose to create self portraits in different styles

* I can use pattern in my mirror

First grade Picasso portraits

First Grade artists are studying the life and work of Pablo Picasso. 

1st grade artists learned about the art of Pablo Picasso. We read a book about him saw how his art changed from realistic to abstract. When he was a child, we was incredibly talented and painted very realistically. His life took many turns and he went through a Rose Period in his art, a Blue Period, and a Cubistic Period. Ask you students what his work looked like in these periods and why he developed each one! :) 

One day one, we used shapes to draw some side view facial features, and some front view features just like Picasso did. Then we reviewed warm and cool colors by painting one half warm and the other cool. 

On day 2, we learned a song called the "Picasso Polka" from the CD "Songs in the Key of Art." We had a lot of fun singing it while we worked as well!

On day three, we used a Venn Diagram to review the warm and cool colors and had students come up and place miniature artworks in the diagram depending on their color schemes.

For the backs of our artworks, we wrote out our learning goals on a sheet that had some Picasso art. Kids could even decorate the art if they wanted to:

On the final day, after singing the Picasso Polka, we used Mr. Potato Heads to create collaborative "Mr Picasso Heads!" They are heads with the parts all mixed up in a way that Picasso might have created them. Students had to work as a table group (of about 4-5 kids) to create their head as well as give him/her a silly name!

Learning Goals:
I can talk about the life and art of Pablo Picasso.
I can recognize his Blue Period, Rose Period and Cubist Periods.
I can distinguish between a side view portrait and a front view portrait.
I can use warm and cool colors.
I can create texture with a texture plate.